Harry Potter and the Curse of Manskiri
by Cincinnatus C
Summary: A little bit of this and a little bit of that between HPGW as well as between RWHG. It's angsty, but I'm a sucker for happy endings. COMPLETE... But there's a silly one-shot sequel cooking...
1. Chapter 1

Most people didn't know what a light sleeper Ginny was because when something woke her up, she didn't move or open her eyes. She'd just lay there, listening.  
  
On one particularly warm August night Ginny woke at the sound of someone padding through the hall outside her room. She figured it was Ron heading down for a midnight snack until she heard a thump and then an "oomph." It wasn't Ron's voice. It was Harry's. Ginny opened her eyes and snuck out after him, leaving a gently snoring Hermione alone in their room.   
  
Ginny followed Harry down the stairs and stopped at the doorway to the kitchen. Her eyes carefully followed his movements as the young man sliced some bread off her mum's enormous sourdough loaf and then piled various foodstuffs between them. She had to repress the giggle that was bubbling up between her lips--teenage boys certainly did eat a lot! It was good that he was snacking though. He hardly ever ate anymore. He would just pick at his meals, lost in thought. Ginny, and the rest of the Weasleys, had thought the problem solved when Mrs. Weasley started pointedly piling food on his plate and he politely cleared it. The truth was that while Harry was clearing it, the process wasn't really all that polite. Ginny had noticed him magicking it away when he thought no one was looking. However, despite his small appetite, Harry was still shooting up. Ginny was quite sure growing boys were supposed to consume like mini black holes; she had enough older brothers to make a pretty good conclusion after all. Ron, who seemed almost as tall as Hagrid, certainly proved the point--he ate like a pig. He ate like several pigs actually. Ginny had finally kept herself content on the fact that Harry wasn't just growing up like Ron, he was also growing out. How could he build up if he was malnourished? Ginny had taken careful observations of how Harry's arms had grown thicker and harder, how his shoulders had widened. The fact was that she studied his physical appearance very closely.  
  
Ginny Weasley hadn't been lying when she had proclaimed herself over Harry Potter. She had been, especially over her silly little girlish crush on him. But then she started spending time with him. When Ron and Hermione started their bickering, Harry and Ginny would laugh at them together. Then, when Ron apologized to Hermione (Ginny had to admit that he was getting a bit less dense) she and Harry would speculate about when the two would finally just give up and snog eachother senseless. They helped defend eachother against Fred and George's pranks, then plotted revenge together as well. He even tried to help with her ill-fated attempts at cooking. Ginny had always known that the good, great, famous Harry Potter was nice, smart, and funny, but she had never experienced it until she was "over" him. And then, all of a sudden, she wasn't over him all over again. Ginny Weasley was afraid she was in love. She therefore had an excellent reaon for carefully noting every detail of Harry's appearance.  
  
Besides causing Ginny to take careful note of Harry's rear end, her crush was also behind her decision to follow him. In fact, this wasn't the first time she had followed Harry on some night time excursion. Sometimes, like the night in question, it was for a snack, but usually he went outside and brutally took out his agression on this daft muggle thing called a "punching bag." Apparently it was one his horrid cousin had thrown out that Harry had salvaged. Ginny thought it was perfectly silly; only a boy would be stupid enough to buy a hanging sack so he could smack it around. Although it did have some advantages: Ginny was pretty sure that was where the new muscles had come from.  
  
Ginny watched him clean up, curious as to whether he would assault the battered punching bag that night. She was about to melt further into the shadows, allowing Harry to pass her on the way up, when she saw him staring at something. He was so intent that Ginny decided to poke her head out a little farther to see what had captured his gaze. Moonlight streamed through a window, creating a shining band down the blade of the knife that had cut Harry's bread.Ginny's eyes widened as she watched him stroke the blade with his index finger. He lifted the finger and two pairs of eyes were tranfixed by the drop of blood that welled up.   
  
Harry whispered "The blood of an enemy..." before grabbing the knife and and rushing outside. Ginny was about to follow but she had a strong susupicion that he had parked himself right outside the door and would notice if she opened it. She sprinted to the front of the house, went out the front door, and hurried around to the back. She then found a hiding spot with a good view of the brooding boy.  
  
He was sitting on the lowest step, holding the knife in his right hand. He held his left hand out, palm up. To Ginny's horror, He slowly brought the knife towards his wrist.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Ginny found herself running towards him. The boy looked up, confused, as Ginny leapt onto him and knocked the knife out of his hand. Ginny looked down at his shocked expression.   
  
"Ginny, what are you doing?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry turned his head to glance at the knife lying a few feet away, the looked back at Ginny. "I wasn't going to--I mean--I was just--I was just thinking... about... you know."  
  
Thinking about it? Suicide? Harry!" Ginny felt tears threatening to burst out of her eyes.  
  
"I wasn't going to!"  
  
"You said you were thinking about it!"  
  
"That's not what I meant!"  
  
"Harry!" a new voice screamed "what are you doing with my sister?!"  
  
Ginny ahdn't even noticed the fact that she was currently sitting on Harry Potter, their faces inches apart. She watched Hermione run up behing Ron, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Oi, can't a chap get any sleep around here?" a lanky redhead yelled out the window of a second story bedroom. He looked down. "Hey George, I think Gin's taking advantage of Harry!"  
  
"Let me see!" An identical head popped out of the window next to Fred's.  
  
"Harry..." Ron growled.  
  
"Ron, mate, it was just a misunderstanding. Let's all just-" Harry began.  
  
Ginny interrupted him. "No Harry! It wasn't a misunderstanding! You were going to-"  
  
"Ginny!" Harry yelled, cutting her off. "Please don't say anything," he pleaded.  
  
Ginny turned frightened eyes to him. "I have to Harry. You can't go on like this."  
  
Harry snarled "Oh, I can't? What exactly makes any of this your business? You're just my friend's little sister! Why don't you stay the hell out of my business!"  
  
Ginny took a few steps back, still facing Harry, but spun around when she bumped into something. Ron. He looked at the tears now freely flowing down Ginny's cheeks, strode towards Harry, and gave him a resounding punch on the jaw. Harry staggered back from the blow.  
  
"Ron!" Ginny screamed.  
  
Ron glared. "He deserved it."  
  
Harry stared at the ground. He, Hermione, and the Weasleys stood in silence. Finally Harry looked up. "Ron's right. Ginny--I-" he looked down again and whispered "Sorry Gin." And then he bolted.  
  
"What on earth is going on?" Mr. Weasley asked.  
  
"Harry... Harry had this knife, and-" Ginny halted, unable to say what she had seen. Hermione picked up the knife.  
  
"Ginny... there's blood on this."   
  
"I'm going to kill him" Ron said, dangerously calm.  
  
"Ron you bloody prat, you don't understand! Harry--he looked like he was--like he was going to--to kill himself!"  
  
Ron looked at Hermione and then dashed off after Harry. Hermione yelled "wait! Ron! He's too fast!" then bit her lip and ran after Ron. Ginny resisted the urge to follow. 'How can I catch up? Harry's a good runner... If only I had a broom, or--wait!'  
  
"Accio Cleansweep!"  
  
Ginny swept past Hermione and as she drew ahead of Ron he yelled "good idea Gin, now hand it over!" Ginny didn't even look back.  
  
She flew silently, listening until she heard some crashing sounds ahead of her and to the right. She soon caught up with Harry. Ginny flew right next to him, matching his pace, but he didn't stop.  
  
"Harry, this is ridiculous!"  
  
"You're right." He abruptly halted. She turned around, slowly and deliberatley gliding towards him. She stopped squarely in front of him. They watched eachother for a moment but Harry couldn't stand to look at the hurt and fear written across her features. He focused his gaze on his feet.  
  
"Broom. Clever."  
  
As sad and terrified as she was, Ginny still couldn't help blushing a little at the compliment. This was Harry Potter after all. "What were you thinking?" she asked. "Where would you go? Why? Why?  
  
"I wasn't going to! I was just thinking about..."  
  
"Harry." He looked up into her eyes. "Tell me what you were thinking about."  
  
"I was thinking about how easy it would be. How easy it is... to die... to kill. We're very... fragile. Cedric...my parents...Sirius..." He trailed off, trying to hold back tears.  
  
"Harry-"  
  
Harry cut her off: "it's strange, isn't it? They're there one minute, and then they're gone. Just like that. Poof. Magic." He chuckled, but it was so bitter Ginny thought she could hear her heart breaking. He looked away again, the added "It seems impossible, somehow." He couldn't restrain the tears anymore.  
  
"Harry?" Ron called. "Ginny?"  
  
Ginny looked at Harry worriedly and then replied "we're both over here!" Harry didn't react. he just stood there, sobbing.   
  
Ron ran up but stopped a few feet away. He was clearly confused, glancing back and forth between Ginny and Harry. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. Then Hermione ran up, panting heavily, and stopped next to him. All four stood stunned and silent. Eventually, Harry shook his head and headed back to the burrow. Hermione surprised them all by grabbing him in tight hug. Ron joined her. Ginny watched uneasily for a moment until her brother motioned for her to come. She snaked her arms around Harry's waist and settled her head on his back. She felt a sharp intake of breath before he shook his three friends off and walked back to the Weasley residence. Ron and Hermione walked on either side of the troubled young man as Ginny followed behind, broom in hand. 


	2. Chapter 2

Breakfast was, to say the least, an uncomfortable affair. Hermione and Ron were the first two up--they had met in the wee hours of the morning to discuss Harry. Mrs. Weasley found them whispering in the kitchen when she went down to prepare breakfast. Ginny came down next and as she sat down at the table she was promptly interrogated by Harry's two best friends until every detail of the story was out. Mr. Weasley hurried down the stairs next and pulled his wife aside. They had their own whispered conversation for a few moments and then he too took a seat at the table. Fred and George came down yawning and sat without a word. Mrs. Weasley decided not to serve the food until Harry arrived so they all sat, waiting.  
  
Harry's hair was, if possible, more dishevelled than ever. His skin had a strangely pale hue to it and his whole body seemed to droop. He looked terrible. When he sat down, his movements were so slow and dejected that it seemed like he was about to crumble.  
  
Fred and George looked at their parents and eachother. Mr. Weasley glanced hesitantly around the table. Mrs. Weasley pretended to concentrate on the food but shot furtive glances at Harry every so often. Ron looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione. Hermione looked back and forth between Harry and Ginny. Ginny looked at Harry. Harry looked at his plate.  
  
No one spoke.  
  
---  
  
Harry was avoiding Ron and Hermione. They didn't like it. He wouldn't talk to them about Sirius, or Voldemort, or even something as mundane as the weather. Hermione had set up a charm that woke both of them up if Harry left the bedroom. Harry found out quickly enough, but he didn't start a fight. He just stared blankly at them and then walked away. He did that a lot: walking away. He caused a lot of scares at the burrow. Someone would notice he had disappeared and the whole team would be dispatched to find him. But Harry was always just taking a walk or thinking by himself. He never yelled at them--he just stared blankly and then walked away.  
  
One night Harry caught Ron and Hermione discussing, as they called it, his "situation." He didn't get angry. He didn't yell, he didn't glare, and he didn't ignore them. He smiled and then burst into tears. His friends stared in shock as he trudged back upstairs.  
  
"What in blazes was that?"  
  
"I don't know Ron, I... I just haven't got a clue."  
  
---  
  
Harry woke up to the noise of some row downstairs. He figured it was Fred and George again. They had doubled their pranks since Harry's "incident" (as the Weasley's called it). Harry was touched by their bumbling efforts to cheer him up, but they weren't successful.  
  
However, in a moment Ginny's head poked in through his door.  
  
"Harry, I think you should come downstairs."  
  
Ginny waited until he came out and walked down with him. They could hear Ron yelling.  
  
"No! Absolutely not! It's not fair!"  
  
Harry was quite surprised to hear Dumbledore calmly replying, "without the charm tied to his family bonds Voldemort will kill him. I agreed to let him stay here after his confrontation last year with the condition that he spend a small amount at his home."  
  
Ron screamed, "there has to be another way!" Hermione nudged Ron, noticing Harry, but Ron just ploughed on ahead. "What, do you want Harry to finish off Voldemort's job for him?"  
  
"You told Dumbledore?"  
  
Ron flinched at the sound of Harry's voice and turned to face him. His mouth bobbed open and shut a few times, but he couldn't think of anything to say.  
  
"It's all right Ron. I'll go."  
  
"No Harry, Ron's right. We don't want you at that dreadful place right now," Hermione said.  
  
"Harry-" Ron finally managed to spit out.  
  
"I'll go upstairs and pack." Harry turned to leave.   
  
"Promise you won't try and kill yourself Harry."   
  
Every single pair of eyes focused on the redheaded girl who had spoken.  
  
"Ginny!" Ron hissed. Harry started walking off.  
  
"Promise, Harry!" Ginny yelled.  
  
Harry answered, still facing away from the others: "all right, Ginny. I promise." 


	3. Chapter 3

Harry spent less than two weeks at the Dursleys' before he joined the Weasleys to get school suplies at Diagon Alley. His time at home was uneventful: he stayed quietly in his room and the Dursley's were quite content to leave him there. Dudley didn't seem too keen on playing with the new, bigger, stronger Harry Potter.  
  
Harry was rather surprised when Fred and George apparated in the middle of his room. They grinned at him--a little madly he thought. They were probably up to something. Then it occured to him that they were always up to something. He probably didn't have anything to worry about... well, no more than usual. He smiled tentatively.  
  
"Harry, get your stuff together," one of the twins said.   
  
"It's already packed... um... George?"  
  
"By Golly, he got it right!" the other twin exclaimed.  
  
"Well, he did have a fifity fifty chance" George replied. "Hand Fred your bag-"  
  
"Lazy bugger-" Fred interrupted.  
  
"Shush, Fred. I'll take his broom and Hedwig. You-" he looked at Harry "-take this." Harry stared dumbly at the small rock in his hand. "Portkey. It's focused on one that Ron's carrying so it will take you straight to him and Hermione."  
  
"Dumbledore not being here and all they thought this would be a safer way for you to travel. Say 'Bottom Pop' when you're ready to go," Fred added.  
  
"Bottom? You mean like rear end?" Harry asked.  
  
"No!" Fred laughed.  
  
"One of our new products. That's why we spent the summer at home rather than at the shop--inventing you know," George explained.  
  
"And the food."  
  
"Yes, and the food. Anyway, Hermione was showing Ginny this muggle book-"  
  
"The author had the stangest name--something about brandishing a pike? Was that it? Rather violent, wasn't it?"  
  
"It was a spear, I think."  
  
"You don't mean Shakespeare, do you?" Harry asked.  
  
"That's the one!" Fred exclaimed. "Anyway, there was this bloke that had his head transfigured into a donkey's-"  
  
"Bottom-"  
  
"George, stop interrupting! Where was I? Oh yes, we were inspired!"  
  
"Think ickle Duddykins is stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice?" George asked with a wink.  
  
Harry grinned, glad that their mischief didn't seem to be directed at him. "Definitely--but make it seem hidden. Don't make it too hard though, we've got to remember he's about as smart as Snape is lovable."   
  
Fred and George consulted as Harry grabbed the rock and said (quite clearly and carefully) "Bottom Pop."  
  
---  
  
"Ron, how could you have dropped- oh, hello Harry!" Hermione said as Harry appeared right on top of Ron.   
  
Ron lifted up the stone in his right hand. "I think this might be it." He grinned.  
  
Hermione shook her head, smiled, and gave Harry a hug (the last of which Ron didn't look too pleased about). "Our daft friend over here," she pointed at Ron, "dropped the rock that the portkey was focused on." Ron--particularly his ears--turned a cheerful shade of red.   
  
Harry looked around. "Where's Ginny?"  
  
"With mum and dad, of course."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Of course. But... don't you usually all shop together?"  
  
Hermione and Ron looked at eachother uncomfortably. After a moment Ron spoke up: "Um... mum and dad thought... well, really we thought--Hermione and I that is--we thought maybe you might want some... time. You know. With just us."   
  
Harry was becoming quite familiar with long, awkward pauses.  
  
Hemione broke the silence. "Harry, we thought you should know that nobody will be informed of... you know... at school. Not even the teachers."  
  
"Especially not Snape," Ron added. "Mum and dad wanted to tell all the teachers but we said absolutely not and Dumbledore agreed." Ron smiled proudly, but the grin faded as the three friends fell into yet another uncomfortable pause.  
  
"Let's go get our books," Harry said.  
  
---  
  
On the train to Hogwarts Ron and Hermione tried to get out of going in the prefects' car but Harry refused to hear it.  
  
"Honestly you two, just drop it. Shoo! Away! I'll go with Ginny again." Harry turned to her. "Er... if that's all right. Is it?"  
  
"Of course, Harry."  
  
"What about Dean?" Ron scowled.   
  
"Ron. You're my brother and I love you dearly, but you are a bloody moron. That was a joke."  
  
Harry smiled and walked off to find a compartment with Ginny.  
  
Hermione looked at Ron. "He doesn't smile very much anymore. You don't think he and Ginny-"  
  
"No way! She's my little sister!"  
  
---  
  
Harry and Ginny found an empty compartment but were soon joined by Luna. She sat down and stared at Harry dreamily. "My father was thinking about writing another article about you: 'The Secret Life of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived.'" Ginny could see Harry's Adam's apple bob up and down as he gulped nervously.  
  
She giggled and said "why don't you two talk business later?"  
  
"Fine. Will you be playing your little flying game this year?"   
  
"Quidditch?" Harry asked. Luna nodded. "I... I don't know. Umbridge-"  
  
"That stupid goat's rules can't stand! Harry, you've got to play!" Ginny pleaded.  
  
"I like watching you fly." Luna smiled dreamily again. Harry gulped again.  
  
"Um..." Harry said, blushing like mad. Ginny desperately attempted to suppress her giggles. Harry tried again. "Um... um... oh! Where's Neville?"  
  
"With his-" Ginny's giggles burst out "-girlfriend!"  
  
"Neville has a girlfriend?"  
  
Ginny nodded. Luna just smiled serenely.  
  
"Neville?!" Harry asked incredulously.  
  
"A hufflepuff. In our year. She-" Luna abruptly stopped as a fourth person entered the compartment.  
  
"Cho... um... hi..." Harry stuttered.  
  
"Can I sit with you all?"  
  
"Um..." Harry looked at Ginny and Luna. "Um... yes?" He blushed. Cho smiled. Luna pulled out the latest edition of 'The Quibbler' and Ginny fought the urge to scowl. Cho sat down to Harry--very close to Harry. That scowl was getting harder to hide.  
  
"Look, Harry, about last year, Hogsmeade and all--I forgive you." Harry blinked. "I know it's hard for you to talk about your feelings. I got mad at you when you couldn't--couldn't-" and Cho burst into tears.  
  
Harry patted her shoulder awkwardly and said "Um... I guess I'm sorry. I was sort of an idiot about the whole Hermione thing, I suppose."  
  
"Oh Harry!"   
  
He stared at her. A lot of water was coming out of her eyes. He wondered if a person could get dehydrated from crying all the time. Well, if anyone could, it would be Cho.  
  
Ginny suddenly spoke. "Let's go get some food, Luna."  
  
"I'm not hungry," Luna replied stubbornly. Ginny grabbed her arm and dragged her off.  
  
"You look good, Harry."  
  
"Um... um... how's Michael?" Harry squeeked.  
  
"I broke up with him."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Cho smiled at him, but something happened that surprised Harry to no end. Or, to be more precise, something didn't happen. He didn't blush. He didn't feel weak. He didn't even want to kiss her. Cho smiled at him and he didn't care? What was going on?  
  
"Harry, I understand you don't want to talk about... things... but I thought we might try dating again. I promise you won't have to bare your soul unless you want to. I like you, Harry."  
  
Bare his soul? Was she joking? She didn't look like it. "I... I don't know." What was he saying? "I don't think I can." A year ago he would have jumped at the chance to go out with Cho. In fact, he had. But that was a year ago. "I'm sorry."  
  
"That's ok Harry. I'll wait until you're ready to open up. I understand."  
  
'I don't think you do' Harry thought as Ginny and Luna re-entered the compartment. Harry smiled in relief. Ginny grinned. "I got some of everything," she said.  
  
Harry was astonished. Whithout thinking, he said "how'd you pay for all this?" He flinched when he realized what he had just asked.  
  
"Don't worry Harry, I'm not sensitive about money like Ron is. I've been working for a pair of insane redheads with a well-funded partner." She stared at Harry. He fidgeted and turned his head to look out the window.  
  
"Oh, well if it isn't the Potter fan club," Malfoy drawled from the hallway.  
  
"You know, you're a tad predictable," Ginny commented.  
  
"Shut up Weasley."  
  
"I don't take orders from you."  
  
"Only from you darling Potter, eh?"  
  
And then Ginny laughed. She couldn't stop. Malfoy looked very confused, actually, they all did. Finally, Cho asked "are you ok, Ginny?"  
  
Ginny pushed down the giggles until she could spit out "He--he tries so hard to be mean--who *tries* to be mean? And he--he just sounds so-" the giggles interrupted again "-ridiculous!" she started laughing uncontrollably again. By that point Harry was chuckling too. Luna smiled. Cho still looked confused.  
  
Malfoy looked muderous. He yelled "you stupid little brat!" and stalked toward Ginny. Harry stopped laughing abruptly and stood up, inches away from the other boy. Crabbe and Goyle watched from the doorway. Harry glared down at Malfoy, suddenly immensely glad that he had grown so much over the summer. Harry didn't speak; he just glared. Malfoy stared back for a moment then snorted and headed out, muttering "brat's not worth anything anyway."  
  
"What's that Malfoy?" Harry asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Thought so."  
  
Ginny suddenly yelled "stupid prat!" and threw a box of candy at Malfoy, which he caught deftly.  
  
"Thanks for the gift, Miss Weasley," he added and then stomped off, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Ginny grinned. Harry looked at her, then the door, then back at Ginny again. "Those weren't..."  
  
"Oh yes they were!"  
  
Harry and Ginny fell victim to fits of laughter when they heard something braying in the hallway.  
  
---  
  
"You should have seen it!" Ginny said to Ron and Hermione as they all walked to Gryffindor tower after the sorting ceremony.  
  
"Honestly, I thought the new look was an improvement" Harry said with a completely straight face. He looked at Ginny and cracked a grin to match hers.  
  
"What I really want to see is Harry trapped in a compartment with three girls who fancy him!" Ron exclaimed with a laugh.  
  
"What? I thought Luna fancied you," Harry said.  
  
"Perhaps she's traded up," Ginny added. Ron gave her a glare for good measure. "Anyway, I told Ron I was over that stupid little crush!" Ginny wailed.  
  
"Little?" Harry asked, eliciting an enormous blush from Ginny. 


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed strange to Harry that Hogwarts continued on as usual despite everything that had happened. Classes went on as always, with Hermione putting every other student to shame and Ron and Harry keeping up. Harry had gotten all the owls he needed to continue training to be an Auror (even in potions) but he didn't really care. It wasn't that he didn't want to becom an Auror exactly; it was just that he never really planned for the future anymore. He assumed Voldemort would kill him before it arrived.  
  
His classes, his meals, and even quidditch all continued as they had every other year. All of his teachers were the same except for the new defense against the dark arts teacher, who wasn't particularly notable. He was a quiet wizard from Canada that seemed far too normal to have accepted the purportedly cursed position. When Harry asked, Dumbledore said he was an old friend of Professor McGonagall's.  
  
There was something very strange about all this normalcy. Sirius was dead. Voldemort had returned and everyone knew it. How could they act so normal?  
  
But then, sometimes even Harry found himself forgetting everything. Ginny would test some of Fred and George's products on an unsuspecting Slytherin or Ron and Hermione would get into an especially amusing row and Harry would lose himself in laughter. And then he remembered, and this new world seemed unbearably wrong.  
  
---  
  
What really worried Hermione was how Harry did his homework. He did all of it thoroughly and early--sometimes days before it was due, sometimes before she did! Normally, she would have been happy about his improvement but there was something terrible about the way he did it. She noticed it one day when Harry was furiously scribbling away and Ron made the offhand comment that "he sure was punishing himself." Ron had just meant that Harry was working hard, but his comment sparked something in Hermione's mind. She realized that his labor reached these fevered pitches of intensity right after he had really enjoyed something--when he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny went on a picnic, when Neville accidently hexed Malfoy, when Ginny had initiated an impromptu pillow fight. Hermione realized that he really was punishing himself. He was punishing himself for being happy and that terrified her.  
  
One night Harry didn't come down for dinner. Ginny asked Hermione and Ron if they knew where he was and after a moment's hesitation they all raced up to Gryffindor tower, where Ron had seen him earlier. They found Harry sitting and staring off into space.   
  
"Harry, mate-" Ron began and then halted as Harry's head snapped up.  
  
"Sorry. Wasn't hungry." Harry looked away again.  
  
Hermione grasped Ron's arm and he said "Ginny, maybe you should leave us alone."  
  
"No, Ron," Harry said, "She's my friend just as much as you two are."  
  
Ron's expression showed surprise, but he shrugged it off. Hermione nodded and nervously began to speak. "Look, Harry, you need to talk to someone. If you don't want to talk to Ron or me--or Ginny--talk to Dumbledore or Hagrid; we could even get in touch with Professor Lupin! You can't pretend you're all right." Harry clenched his fists. "I mean... of course you're all right, but... you know what I mean, don't you?" They could practically see the air around Harry crackling as his anger grew. Hermione wasn't letting him go just yet though. "Please, Harry, just talk to someone about all this!"  
  
"And what am I going to tell that person?" He paused, breathing heavily. "I'm not all right. I know I'm not, and so do you, so what the bloody hell do we have to talk about?"  
  
"There's no need to blow up." Ron touched Harry's shoulder but he shoved it away as if Ron's hand was the filthiest thing on earth. "We understand-"  
  
"No you don't!" Harry was furious. He was screaming. "You don't understand anything, you just bumble around making puppy dog eyes at Hermione and think some stupid conversation is going to fix me! Here's a hint you clueless moron: fix yourself! Then we'll talk!"  
  
Harry ran out. Ron stared at the spot where Harry had been standing and then collapsed on a couch. Hermione tried to comfort him, but he was too stunned to even notice her efforts. Ginny, of course, followed Harry. He didn't appear to realize she was there as he thrashed off the quidditch pitch and sat down in the stands. Ginny took a deep breath and sat next to him. He didn't seem surprised. Ginny didn't really have anything to say, so she just sat there. Nearly ten minutes passed that way.  
  
Finally, Harry looked at her. "Aren't you going to tell me to talk?"  
  
"Well, we all saw how well that worked before."  
  
"Is Ron... is he ok?"  
  
"He'll be fine. But you shouldn't have said that."  
  
"I know."  
  
There was another long silence, but it wasn't so uncomfortable anymore.  
  
"You were right though, about Ron not understanding. He's never done anything to make him experience... real guilt."  
  
Harry's gaze darted to her face, searching her eyes as if the answers to all his questions would come tumbling out of them at any moment. "But you would?" he asked. Ginny bit her lip but didn't say anything. Harry thought for a moment. "The chamber of secrets? But nobody died!"  
  
"They could have."  
  
"But that wasn't your fault! Voldemort was manipulating you!"  
  
"He manipulated you too!"  
  
There was another long silence.  
  
"Harry, don't worry. I got over the chamber of secrets a long time ago. I know it wasn't my fault, any more than Sirius' death was yours." Harry's gaze pierced her yet again. "What? You want me to dance around it? I know that doesn't help--pretending it didn't happen doesn't help, Harry."  
  
"I know. I'm glad you're... honest. I was just surprised." Harry paused. "Perhaps... we should go back. Ron and Hermione are probably about ready to call the police."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Er... it's a Muggle thing.  
  
---  
  
Ginny was furious. It had been two weeks since she and Harry had talked and he was acting like nothing had happened. Ginny was not about to let him drive himself crazy sulking. He had been in the shower room for at least an hour more than all the other boys after quidditch practice. Nobody could possibly take that long to shower! He was no doubt sitting in there and staring at the wall!  
  
So, she barged in. He wasn't sitting. He was still in the shower. Naked. Ginny squeeked. Harry blushed and moved to grab a towel. Ginny squeeked again and tripped all over herself in her haste to get outside.  
  
"Er... Harry... er... I need to talk to you. I'll just... er... wait outside."  
  
She heard Harry laughing from within. Harry called out to her "Sounds like a brilliant idea, that. Waiting outside, NOT going into the BOY'S shower room." Ginny could feel a fierce blush sweeping across her face. When Harry came out she could not meet his eyes.  
  
"Harry. I know you don't want to hear this but Hermione was right. You need to--I mean--bottling it up isn't going to help! I know it sounds cliche, but... it's true. You need to stop this... this brooding."  
  
He looked at her neither angrily nor sadly, but curiously. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Tell me... what you were thinking about. That would be start"  
  
He stared at her. Despite all the pain that flowed inside them, his eyes were still the most beautiful things she had ever seen. Ginny was trapped by them, she couldn't move, her heart beat wildly-- she felt like an animal cornered by the hunter.  
  
Then the young wizard broke his own spell by speaking. "I was thinking that... do you ever feel like you don't belong here?  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know." He turned that haunted gaze to the ground, avoiding Ginny's questioning glance. "I just... well, you know how you have your family? And Ron does too, and he also has Hermione, and Hermione has him--even if they're still in denial. I was thinking about how first my parents died, then Sirius died, and how everyone around me is always in danger. Perhaps I'm not supposed to be here. Perhaps Voldemort was supposed to have killed me."  
  
Ginny's mouth gaped open in utter shock as she stood speechless. She found her speech soon enough though.  
  
"You daft git! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"  
  
Harry looked startled and then smiled.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked.  
  
"You know, you're cute when you're angry."   
  
Harry headed off to transfiguration. Ginny was frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief.  
  
'Did he just say...?'  
  
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Ok, my finals are coming up (eep!) So my story is going on a 2 week hiatus. Sorry!  
  
Peace out ~_^ 


	5. Chapter 5

The prodigal daughter hath returned! Enjoy!  
  
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Harry was seriously considering asking Ginny to the Yule ball. Dumbledore had announced that he felt the school was in dire need (his exact words) of some cheering up, and hence the ball. Of course, Harry knew that Ginny was "over him" and he was rapidly discovering how unfortunate that was. The idea of going with her was somehow comforting. It would be perfect: romantic, but nothing for Ron to get all worked up about. Well, that was what Harry hoped. One day, after a particularly painful potions he decided that if he could survive Snape, he could survive anything--even rejection. So, Harry went off to find Ginny. However, as he headed towards the Gryffindor common room he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and turned around to find himself face to face with Cho Chang.  
  
"Harry, I know you don't feel like you're ready for a relationship-" he heard a few passing Slytherins snicker "-but I was thinking we could go to the ball together. No commitments, just... as friends."  
  
"I--I don't know."  
  
"Harry, I'm worried about you!"  
  
Harry could tell she was about to start crying again. He really didn't want her to start crying again.  
  
"Harry-"   
  
He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He knew it was callous, but he just couldn't stand to have her start crying all over him in the middle of one of the halls. He sighed in defeat.  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Oh Harry!" Cho hugged him and ran off.  
  
Harry trudged up to the Gryffindor common room and was met by a beaming Ron. "How'd you manage it? Cho Chang! I thought after that Hogsmeade thing... you're a lucky bugger, is all I can say!" Ron leaned towards Harry and whispered conspiratorially "I was kind of worried Ginny would do something daft like ask you!"  
  
Harry groaned.  
  
"Harry? Hey, are you all right, mate?"  
  
Harry didn't answer for a moment.   
  
"Ron," he said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You listening?"  
  
"Of course, Harry."  
  
"Go ask Hermione." Ron blushed at Harry's order. Harry continued: "I'm serious. Now. Now!"  
  
Ron went and asked Hermione; to no one's surprise except Ron's, she said yes.  
  
---  
  
"Harry, what do I do?"  
  
"Snog her brains out."  
  
"Harry! I don't even know--I mean she said yes, but--what if she doesn't REALLY like me? What if she thinks we're going as friends? I thought if I asked her it would be easy! Like, all of a sudden we'd look into eachother's eyes or something stupid like that and--I don't know! So, what if I tried to--er--you know--kiss her--and she started screaming or hitting me or something?"  
  
"Ron, I'm impressed."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That was an awful lot to say without taking a breath."  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Ok, I'll be serious. Tell her you love her."  
  
Ron blushed. "But--"  
  
"She loves you too. Just tell her."  
  
The truth was that Harry didn't really want to talk to Ron about Hermione. He wanted to sulk about Ginny going to the stupid ball with some stupid Ravenclaw fifth year instead of Harry. Hermione had said he was cute. Harry didn't want him to be cute. Ginny had already gone down to meet him--he wanted to give her something before the ball, apparently. Harry and Ron were waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Hermione, then they were all going to go down and meet Cho.  
  
Cho. Harry really didn't want to think about Cho. Every time he did he was reminded of his own stupidity. Harry was lucky, however, because his frustrated musings were interrupted by Hermione's arrival: Ron began clutching his arm like some sort of mad man. Harry could feel the limb going numb from Ron's death grip. He didn't see what all the fuss was about, anyway. Hermione was pretty enough, but she wasn't strikingly gorgeous like Ginny. Harry suddenly frowned. He had it bad.  
  
Hermione smiled and said to Harry "could you go on ahead to the ball? I need to talk to Ron."  
  
He smiled, a little sadly, at them both and left.  
  
---  
  
Harry was getting drinks when Ron and Hermione finally came down to the ball. He noted how Hermione's arm was looped though Ron's, how they walked as close as humanly possible to eachother, and how they both seemed a little flushed. They looked happy.  
  
Ron glanced around and spotted Harry. He whispered a few words to Hermione, who smiled and nodded. Ron ran over to Harry, who could have sworn Ron's jaw would break from the pressure of that enormous smile he wore.  
  
"Snogged her brains out?"  
  
Ron turned bright red but his smile, if possible, grew wider. "She said to me! It! I mean, she said it to me! You know! It!"  
  
"Yes, I'm very well acquainted with it, actually. It's one of my favorite pronouns."  
  
"Harry! Would you just--I--you know what I meant! She said 'Ron, I love you' and I think I just sort of stood there for a moment... I was just so happy I couldn't think and then she sort of asked 'well?' and I don't remember exactly what I said but it was basically that I love her too and--and it's simply unbelievable, Harry. I've never been happier."  
  
Ron rushed back to Hermione, leaving Harry very much alone. He was rather confused. He was happy for Ron and Hermione--but he was sad, too. He, Ron, and Hermione had always been a set... but now Ron and Hermione were a pair. What did that make Harry? It wasn't even like he hadn't seen it coming. He had realized what was happening that night when he had caught them talking about him.  
  
He was almost glad when Cho came over to find out what was taking so long. He told her that Ron and Hermione had admitted their feelings for eachother and Ron had wanted to talk to him.   
  
"That's so beautiful!" she said, as tears started to form in her eyes.  
  
Harry looked dazed. 'You have got to be kidding me...' he thought as a crying Cho dragged him out to the dance floor. She soon cheered up and started chatting at him, unaware that he wasn't registering a single one of words that she heaped on him. 'Did I really like her? It seems so strange now. Cho is so... dull. And the way she cries about everything! Perhaps it's--' and then Harry stoped thinking entirely because the sky fell down. At least, that's what it felt like to Harry. He saw Ginny. She was beautiful. Her new green dress robes were unusually revealing, clinging to her body, and her hair cascaded down her shoulders like a river of fire. Her eyes glittered in a way that made Harry's heart race. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter. She was laughing... with her date.  
  
Harry knew why he couldn't be perfectly happy for Ron and Hermione. He looked at Cho. 'As soon as she likes me, I lose all interest in her. I'm such a fool.' Then Harry sighed audibly but Cho didn't notice. She seemed to be talking about how mean Snape had been to Harry in potions three days ago. Harry interrupted her.  
  
"Cho, we have to talk."  
  
"Of course, sweety."  
  
Harry winced. 'Sweety? What happened to just friends? Hell, even if we weren't just friend I wouldn't want to be called sweety!' Harry thought as she looked up at him adoringly. 'Ginny would never simper at me like that. I better get this over with. She's going to cry. Ugh.'  
  
He spoke. "Look, I guess I didn't realize this when you asked me, but... i don't like you. I mean, I do! But not as a... er... girlfriend. You know?"  
  
Cho looked shocked and then screamed "I hate you Harry Potter!" Everyone stopped and looked at them. Cho stormed out, tears coursing down her cheeks. Harry trudged out a moment later, feeling like the most nauseating beast possible. Despite his annoyance with her, he knew Cho was a good person and he didn't want her to feel sad. Harry made his way up to Gryffindor tower, kicking random objects as he went.  
  
'Great. Just great. Well, Cho, you're not alone in your opinion. I hate Harry Potter too. He's a fool. A beautiful, intelligent, sweet, kind, interesting, pefect redhead adored him for years and he only fell in love with her once she was over him. Yes, Harry Potter is a--wait. Love? Do I live Ginny?' Harry groaned. 'Of course love Ginny. Of course I am absolutely head over heels in love with the girl who is over me. I'll never be happy like Ron and Hermione. It isn't meant to be. Voldemort should have just killed--what's that?'  
  
There was a brightly colored package lying on his bed. There was no note, but it was clearly a present. Harry picked it up. He examnied it carefully. 'Well... maybe I'll be lucky and it will kill me,' he thought. He chuckled at his own morbid joke as he carefully peeled back the wrapping paper, revealing deep purple gem. Curious, he stared into its depths.  
  
If anybody had been watching they would have seen Harry crumple down onto his bed, clutching something in his hand. However, nobody returned to the dorm room for several hours. When the boys finally filed in Ron's grin turned into a worried frown at the sight of his friend sprawled across his bed with his dress robes still on. Ron removed Harry's shoes and tucked him in. Then he plopped down in his own bed and started dreaming about a certain studious young witch with brown hair, completely unaware of the magic that was working in Harry's mind. 


	6. Chapter 6

***In response to the question "How do you rank yourself among writers?" Vladimir Nabokov commented:  
  
"I often think there should exist a special typographical sign for a smile -- some sort of concave mark, a supine round bracket, which I would now like to trace in reply to your question."***  
  
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Ron was frantic. Harry wouldn't wake up. All the other Gryffindor boys had gone down to breakfast. Ron had thought Harry was just sulking about what happened with Cho, but then he realized that Harry was out cold. Ron had yelled in his ear. He had knocked Harry off his bed. He had even dumped cold water on his head. Finally, he noticed that Harry's hand was clutched around something. When he examined it he felt something happening--like it was pulling on him. He jumped away, then put a sock around Harry's hand. Ron pulled Harry's other arm over his shoulder and lurched off to the infirmary. He met Hermione on the stairs. When she saw Harry the color drained out of her face and the breath hissed out of her as if she had been slammed in the stomach. She looked at Ron.  
  
"I don't know, Hermione. I tried to wake him up--he's alive. He's breathing. But he won't wake up. He--he has some sort of jewel in his hand, under the sock. It--it pulled me... or something. I... don't know..."  
  
Without saying a word Hermione took the arm with the jewel still in its hand over her shoulder and they both walked Harry to the infirmary.  
  
---  
  
Madame Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore stood around Harry, examining him and the jewel. Ron and Hermione sat on a nearby bed, holding eachother in silence. Ginny sat in a corner, unnoticed.   
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Well, it's clearly a Manskiri curse. I should have thought of such a thing."  
  
"They are so rare. You couldn't know," Professore McGonagall interjected.  
  
Hermione asked in a small, weak voice: "What is it?"  
  
"A Manskiri is a very simple, virtually indestructable enchantment. It can be fixed on any object but is strongest in hard, cut gems like that one. As a person looks at the object, he or she is drawn into an imaginary world created by his or her mind. It is like a dream in many ways." Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I had no idea that these times weighed upon him so," he commented as he looked sadly at Harry.  
  
"What do you mean, Professor?" Hermione asked.  
  
"One reason I did not foresee this possibility is that few would be trapped as Harry is. He must have been feeling terribly alone--disconnected. If he was feeling otherwise, the curse would not have held him."  
  
"You said Harry was safe," Ron spat, his voice as sharp as a razor.  
  
"I thought he was. He would have been safe--he still is--from a normal attack. But now Voldemort isn't truly the one attacking Harry. Harry is attacking himself."  
  
A single tear ran down Hermione's cheek as she stared at Harry with empty eyes. "There's nothing we can do?"  
  
Dumbledore hesitated. "You could follow him by allowing the jewel to pull you into his imagined world. Then you would have to convince him that he has something to live for. But... you must be careful, if you care more about him than you do about living in this world-" Dumbledore stopped and looked back and forth between them. "That won't be a problem for you two though, will it?"  
  
Ron squeezed Hermione's hand and then resolutely replied "no sir, it won't." Before anyone could stop him he locked his eyes on the jewel and suddenly crumpled to the floor. Hermione screamed in fear. Dumbledore put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder as McGonagall levitated Ron onto another bed. Nearly twenty minutes later Ron awoke.   
  
"It's like he's dead... on the inside... like he can't feel anything. He kept... smiling. I think... I think Harry believes he's happy about his choice, but he's not. Something wasn't right about that smile. I should have realized something was wrong last night... Harry wasn't mad that we didn't come for him earlier. He looked-" Ron shuddered "-pleased. He said it was proof that he doesn't belong here. He said he was supposed to have died when V-V-Voldemort killed his parents. He said he was just... fixing... a mistake..." Ron broke down for a moment. Hermione crawled up behind him and layed her head on his back with her arms around his shoulders. Ron grabbed one of her hands and continued, "He said nobody needs him... nobody needs him like I need Hermione."  
  
"I don't see how I could-" Hermione said, "but I have to try."  
  
She spent even longer that Ron in Harry's self-imposed cage and came back with the same haunted expression. She broke down into tears and couldn't say a thing.  
  
"As Hermione said, I doubt I can help him, but I have to try," Dumbledore murmured.  
  
Professor McGonagall looked at him. "Are you sure you will be able to come back?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "My duty towards my students is more than enough to tie me to this world."  
  
After rather a short time compared to Ron and Hermione, Dumbledore returned. "You were right, Minerva, to question me. returning was-" Dumbledore made an unpleasant face "-much more difficult than I had imagined." Dumbledore muttered to himself for a few moments and then added, "I will contact some wizards. Don't lose hope."  
  
Professor McGonagall's eyes shot towards Dumbledore as an idea struck her. "Remus! Surely he would talk to Remus!"  
  
Hermione and Ron looked at eachother. Hermione said "He... hasn't been talking to Professor Lupin. He gets letters from him all the time and just burns them. I mean... it's worth a try, of course, but..."  
  
"I will contact Remus. Any possibility for hope is worth seeking. We will find a way," Dumbledore said as he bustled off.  
  
"What's his hurry, Minerva?" Madame Pomfrey asked.   
  
Professor McGonagall glanced at Ron and Hermione, and then over at Ginny, who was still sitting quietly in one corner of the room. She hesitated, and the answered "the world that Harry has created is sustained with his energy. That energy will run out if we don't help him... soon."  
  
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Hehehe... I love cliff-hangers. 


	7. Chapter 7

After Dumbledore and McGonagall left Ginny scurried away to get her broom and then flew up onto the school roof. She missed several classes, but that hardly seemed important anymore. She sat alone all day and evening, thinking. She was listing her arguments in her head--listing the reasons that Harry belonged in the real world, with her. Eventually she flew down, put away her broom, and walked up to the Gryffindor girls' dormitory. Hermione asked where she had been and Ginny answered "thinking." Hermione seemed to accept this and left the room. She wasn't quite sure where Hermione went, but it didn't seem like she was coming back so Ginny crawled under her covers. Ginny closed her eyes, however she didn't go to sleep. She carefully listened to the other girls until she was sure they were fast asleep. When they were, Ginny crept out of bed and tiptoed down into the Gryffindor common room, where she found Ron and Hermione sleeping in eachother's arms on one of the couches. She imagined how angry her mother would be if she knew. 'Well, I'm not going to tell her!' Ginny thought with a smile.  
  
Ginny was surprised at how easy it was to sneak down to the infirmary, especially since she didn't even have Harry's invisibility cloak or the marauder's map!When she reached her destination, Ginny took a long moment to look at Harry. He didn't look like he was in danger. He was just lying there. In fact, he appeared to be snoring a bit. Ginny pulled the hair away from his forehead to look at his scar. She stared at him for a few seconds longer and then gave him a quick peck on the cheek.  
  
"I may never get to do that again--even if this works," she whispered. "After all, you've always wanted Cho-" Ginny scowled "-despite the fact that she's a boring, stupid, stuck-up, little--but that's just the jealousy talking. I suppose you did tell her you don't like her...but that doesn't help me. After all, if you liked me you would've just told me. After all, I've fancied you forever and you know it. I think. I suppose now I'm just stalling for time, huh? Pretty pathetic... talking to the unconcious."  
  
Ginny stopped talking and stared into the gem.  
  
---  
  
She was in a clearing. The forest around the edge was so dense that it resembled a wall, preventing escape. The were no stars or clouds in the sky, only a bloated orange moon. Harry was standing in the middle of the clearing, next to a pond that shone in iridescent waves as if there were a film of oil on it. He was staring at her. Ginny cleared her throat.  
  
"Harry, you know I think you're wonderful, but you're a bloody brainless fool. You keep beating yourself up for things that aren't your fault. If I was in your position, you would be telling me the same thing! Actually, you would probably find some way to say it was your fault! And I don't ever want to hear you say you wish Voldemort had killed you! Do you think that would have helped Sirius? No, he would prbably have had his soul sucked out by a dementor! Voldemort would be in power--my whole family would probably be dead! So don't you dare say you wish Voldemort had killed you!"  
  
Harry stared at her.  
  
"You give people hope. You are a symbol that Voldemort can be defeated. You... you belong in the real world Harry."  
  
And the he smiled... but it was the terrible smile Ron had mentioned. Harry wasn't really happy and Ginny felt like the world was breaking.  
  
"Harry..."  
  
"I don't, Ginny. I don't belong there." He turned away.  
  
"But you-"  
  
Harry interrupted her, changing the subject: "why didn't you come when Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore all came?"  
  
"They wouldn't have let me. Harry... if you don't go back, I won't either. I won't be able to. You-"  
  
"Nonsense," Harry interrupted again, "none of the others had any trouble. You all belong there. You all have people who care about you... family..."  
  
"But we all care about you! What about Professor Lupin? He's like family, or at least he should be!" She paused and watched him for a moment. "Harry... why wouldn't you talk to him? Why were you burning his letters?"   
  
He still wouldn't look at her. "He... he might be angry... about Sirius."  
  
"What? That's ridiculous! We've talked to him--you've talked to him--he's not mad at you! He knows it wasn't your fault! He needs someone to talk to just as much as you do!"  
  
"No one needs a fool like me."  
  
Ginny had scripted her response to such a statement, but found herself wildly throwing this plan into the abyss. Instead, she somehow began running towards him. As he turned around to face her, she knocked him onto the ground. She was sitting on him just like on the night she had caught him with the knife.  
  
"You really are a moron, Harry Potter. I need you. I need you just like Hermione needs Ron and Ron needs Hermione. I love you."  
  
---  
  
Ginny suddenly found herself lying on the infirmary floor, next to Harry's bed. To her immense relief, he opened his eyes and looked around. When he spotted her he got out of bed, stood up, and then bent down to grab her hands. Harry pulled her up from the floor and put a hand on either side of her head, forcing her to face him.  
  
"Is it true? It wasn't... it wasn't just some trick to get me out of... wherever I was?  
  
"Of course it's true!"  
  
"But... you said you were over me..."  
  
"I was over that stupid crush. That wasn't even love. It was... I don't know! Hero worship! Now I know you, and I--I," Ginny took a deep breath, "I love you."  
  
Harry's arms wrapped around Ginny and pulled her to him. He buried his face in her hair.  
  
"Harry...?  
  
"I love you too, Ginny." 


	8. The Morning After

Wooo... there were a lot of typos in the first one... I need to stop writing these things at midnight! *_*  
  
---  
  
"Harry!" Ron roared.  
  
Said boy opened his eyes. There was a beautiful redhead in his arms. Ron's sister. And there was Ron, standing above them. And there was Hermione. She wouldn't let Ron send himself to Azkaban by murdering the-boy-who-lived, would she?  
  
"Ron, aren't you glad Harry's back though?" Hermione asked. Ron just glared.  
  
Ginny glared right back. "We weren't doing anything you and Hermione weren't doing."  
  
"I don't want him doing anything to you I'd do to Hermione! I don't want him thinking about you the way I think about Hermione! Boys have dirty, horrible, disgusting minds-"  
  
"Ron!" Hermione screamed, her face glowing with the fierce blush that covered it. Ron turned an even more startling shade of red when he stopped and thought about what he had just said.  
  
"Girls' minds are just as dirty as boys' are!" Ginny yelled. Harry felt something seductively sliding up his leg and realized with a start that it was Ginny's foot. He jumped up and away.  
  
"Ginny!" both boys screamed.  
  
"Isn't that right, Hermione?" Ginny asked with an angelic glance.  
  
Hermione stared back, clearly terrified. "You wouldn't."  
  
"Now, what about me makes you think that?"  
  
"If you tell, I'll tell Harry about the dream with the maple syr-"  
  
"Ok! I won't tell!" Ginny cried.  
  
The boys looked at the girls curiously. The girls blushed. Despite her embarassment, Ginny managed to flash Harry a grin. Ron, on the other hand, continued to glare.  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't let you go around thinking about Ginny the way-" Ron stopped and glanced at Hermione "-the way... er... boys think about girls they like."  
  
Ron took a swing at Harry's head but he ducked. "Ron, mate, can we talk about this?"  
  
Ron took another swing at Harry, which was also dodged. The third hit him in the stomach.  
  
"I'm going to make your life miserable if you don't stop this instant, Ron Weasley!" Ginny hissed.  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts Ron! If I had a daft, overprotective older brother, would you back off?" Hermione asked.  
  
Ron thought for a moment. "No," he answered, and then turned to Harry. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to beat your face until you're so ugly that Gin runs away screaming every time she sees you."  
  
"Ron," Ginny said, her voice dangerously calm.  
  
Ron didn't heed the warning. As he advanced, Harry backed away and hopped over one of the infirmary cots to put it between them. Ron followed. Harry ran. Then Ron's face hit a fist--or perhaps it was the other way around. Ron looked up at one very angry redhead. "Ron, if he does anything I don't want him to I can take care of myself."  
  
"I'm worried about what you want him to do," Ron muttered.  
  
"You practically told me to go out with him on the train last year!"  
  
"I thought he didn't like you!"  
  
"So I'm never supposed to go out with anyone?"  
  
"Yes! Exactly!"  
  
"Ron. It's my life. Sod off." She ran over to Harry and smiled at his amazed gaze. "What?" she asked.  
  
"You are--I--no wonder I'm in love with you!" Harry and Ginny grinned like fools at eachother.  
  
Ron's eyes narrowed into murderous slits. "Harry--you--just--watch yourself. I don't want your hands anywhere near her you-know-what! Or her you-know-whats!"  
  
Harry looked pensive for a few seconds and then replied: "I've decided Hermione needs a big brother. Any rules you make for me and Ginny apply to you and Hermione. And I bet I could make you uglier than you could make me."  
  
"Why--you--I should--Harry--kill--why-" Ron sputtered.  
  
Hermione sighed. "You're going to give youself a heart attack if you don't calm down," she said before giving him a kiss.   
  
"I guess I can do that!" Ginny snickered.  
  
"Not while I'm around!" Ron roared.  
  
Ginny grabbed Harry's hand. "Well, then, we best be off to breakfast," she said. After the door closed Ron and Hermione heard her say "anyway, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."  
  
"I'm going to kill you Harry!" 


End file.
